A New Beginning
by gladysnotw
Summary: Barbara Gordon has always been seen as a "Daddy's Girl". She wants to be a cop and bring men like Falcone to justice, but no one seems to be noticing her efforts with Bruce Wayne coming back from the dead. However, things are changing when a mysterious man in a bat suit changes things, and Barbara sees her chance. But, will "Batman" let her help or put her in her so-called place?
1. Chapter 1

"Did you hear about the news, Barb?"

"What news?"

"Wayne. Bruce Wayne is back in Gotham."

I shrugged. "Great. Now, Falcone has another rich man to bribe."

"I heard he's a changed man. We'll have to see, though, won't we?"

"Sure, Dad. He's been gone for several years and now he can just waltz back here with money to burn. He doesn't have to start over like most people."

Dad put his coffee mug down and hurried through the kitchen. "I'll be working late tonight. They'll be hosting a big party at Wayne Tower to honor his return. Half the police force has been invited."

I raised an eyebrow as I placed his mug into the sink to wash. "I didn't know he was friends with so many cops."

"He isn't, but with a guy this famous back from the dead, people thought he'd need the protection."

"Convenient. Are you invited?" I asked, turning the sink faucet on.

"Like I said, I work late tonight. I, uh, was hoping you could go for me."

I chuckled. "Homework."

"Come on, Babs. For me? It would be a dishonor if someone bearing my name didn't go."

He shrugged his coat on and I sighed. "I'll think about it."

"That's a girl," he said, kissing my cheek and hurrying out.

I finished the dishes and wiped my hands dry with a towel. Bruce Wayne was back in town. I could practically imagine the headlines and piles of newspapers being printed about it. Sighing, I shook my head and took out my phone. I texted my father and shook my head.

"Wayne Tower, it is."

My closet didn't hold too many dresses. I managed to find a red one. Simple but fit for the occasion. I drove to Wayne Tower early to get a good parking spot. Unfortunately, about 50 people had the same idea. I sighed and groaned aloud. When I finally got a spot, I walked into the tower and my heels clicked on the marble floor. People were already eating and drinking. They talked aloud and a few stared at me as I walked in. grabbed myself a glass and filled it with water and ice.

I stood alone as I drank it and sighed. Suddenly, people started crowding by the front entrance. I lowered my eyes and grinned. "Well, well."

The man himself had arrived. His hair was dark and filled with gel. What a joke. His suit looked expensive. Westwood, my guess. He smiled as cameras went off and people talked all at once. I turned my back and swallowed the water I had held in my mouth. It had quieted down after a few minutes, thankfully.

I shoved a small sandwich in my mouth and grabbed my glass. With a quick turn, my hand knocked into someone and spilled the water onto them. With a small gasp, Bruce Wayne narrowed his eyes and chuckled. He had a sharp jawline and a handsome smile, I couldn't deny. His chin, unforgettable and his so-called charm was unbearable.

"Good aim there," he mumbled.

I widened my eyes. "Sorry! I thought you were-"

"It's okay. It's just water. Don't think we've ever met? You're a bit young for me to have met years back. Were you invited by someone?"

"Actually, I'm here to take Jim Gordon's place. I'm Barbara Gordon," I said, holding out my hand to shake his.

He raised his eyebrows and scanned me form head to toe. "Gordon? Oh, hi. Good to meet you. How come he couldn't make it? Busy with the kids?"

"Working late in the office. Flacone's thugs were spotted near the Narrows, but it'll probably lead to nothing."

He narrowed his eyes and gave a slight nod. "Sorry to hear that."

I shrugged. "Someone has to keep what your parents stood for alive."

Blinking, he chuckled nervously. "They do, indeed. When I get back into business, I'll make sure to keep that in mind."

"Be sure that you do. I'd hate to see this city turn into the filth that it's starting to become."

He stared at me for a bit but I regretted nothing. I meant what I said. He cleared his throat and nodded.

"Well, it was an honor to meet Gordon's wife. Send him my best wishes."

I grimaced. "I'm his daughter."

With a pause, he raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? My apologies, I could've sworn you-"

"It's okay. I get that quite often. Dad says I look so much like her, but I strive to be like him. Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Wayne."

I turned away until he spoke up again. "Bruce. Only people in my business call me Mr. Wayne. You can call me Bruce."

I nearly gagged. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Wayne."

His stare. I could feel it behind my head. He watched me go through the crowd and towards a small fountain in the building. I sat by it and finished the water in my hand. A few minutes passed and I felt as if I had stayed long enough.

Almost a week after the party, I found myself in bed. I was on my phone, looking through the news. Falcone was flooding the streets more and more and nothing to be getting done. With a sigh, I got up out of bed and stared at the carpet floor. Dad was out working late again and I was home alone. The door opened downstairs and I hurried to see who it was. Dad came through the door our of breath.

"Daddy? You okay? What happened?"

I rushed to his side as he shook his head. "Nothing, honey. Just some crazy guy. Came into my office and...it was dark..."

"A man? What did he want? Are you okay?" I asked, repeatedly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. He just wanted to know what it would take to bring Flacone down."

I raised my eyebrows. "What? Who was it?"

He shook his head. "Couldn't say. He stood behind me and the room was dark. He wore black and had a mask. He's gone now. Probably just some idiot, thinking he could take the law into his own hands. I'm fine, Babs, okay?"

"Just...get to bed. I'll heat up your dinner, alright?"

With a nod, he went upstairs as I entered the kitchen. I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes. Who could want to bring Falcone down? Why did they specifically ask my father for information. He was a good cop, I knew. But, who else could know that and trust him enough? I shook my head and decided if anyone was going to bring Flacone down, I was going to have my input.

When I gave Dad his dinner, I hurried to my room and opened my laptop. I'm good with computers. Not to brag, of course. You wouldn't believe me if I told you in person. I mean, who would? A junior in college couldn't be that good, especially a girl who won lots of medals in gymnastics. There I go again. Bragging.

The news confirmed what Dad told me. A man dressed in black, roaming the streets and getting information on Flacone. I couldn't hold back a grin. Sounded interesting, this character. I had to learn more. Typing quickly, I did my digging. The next few days, I searched through Dad's bedroom and found files on Flacone and his shipments.

One was going to take place that night, and I had an appointment to be there. With dark jeans and a hoodie, I packed my laptop in my backpack and hurried to the docks that night. I was scared, but I had to see exactly what was going on down there. Men were carrying huge boxes, not with rugs, but with toys. Stuffed animals to be exact.

"Clever douches," I whispered.

The drugs had to be inside. But, why disguise them in such a way? To avoid suspicion, yes. But, Falcone knew hiding his drugs wasn't a necessity. No one got in his way. Not even cops. He was books in with the right people, Dad used to tell me.

I took out a camera and took several photographs. I shoved it into my backpack and jumped when I heard a loud scream and a thud. Gunshots made me crouch down to hide. What was going on? I had to get closer. Quietly, I crouched around and tried to get a better look. I heard several grunts and screams as I got closer to the crates and such.

Men were being tossed everywhere, bruised and bleeding. I grimaced as I saw a dark figure moving ahead. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. Is that...a bat...a man?

##########

 **A/N: If it seems rushed, I apologize. I won't be getting my hands on a computer for a while so I wanted to get this story out there. I'll be updating faithfully, but things can get complicated. Anyway, hope you like it. GO BATMAN!**


	2. Chapter 2

All the thugs that this...creature took on were down in seconds. My jaw hung open as I watched. Taking out my camera, I threw on my hood and started snapping photos.

Finally, everything was quiet. The creature was gone. I looked around but didn't see him anymore. Quietly, I came out from my hiding spot and scurried to find him. A sharp crash of glass made me look ahead. The creature stood on top of a car, dragging Falcone through the top of it.

"I'm Batman," it said in a deep voice.

My lips mouthed 'wow' as I took another picture. Suddenly, the two men were thrust into the air and I gasped.

Clutching my camera, I backed away and sat down, digesting what I just witnessed.

"Holy crap," I whispered.

I got to my feet and hurried home. Dad's car was there and I prepared myself for a speech. My hand grasped the handle and I took a deep breath.

Dad was waiting for me with his arms folded. I removed my hood and clutched the strap of my backpack.

"Hey, Dad."

He was frowning. "Don't give me that. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "It's nearly midnight, sir."

"And, what did I tell you about being out too late? It's dangerous out there, Barbara. Don't you see that?"

"Yes and I seem to be the only one that does!"

He grimaced. "I don't see that? You think I don't see that?"

I groaned. "Oh, here we go. I'm not saying you don't, Dad. I'm just saying your boss and half the cops in the GCPD don't. It's getting worse and worse here and nothing is getting done."

He opened his mouth to speak but held it back for a moment. "Don't talk like that, please. You sound like your mother, for God's sake."

I shrugged. "And? She was always right about this place. That's why she took-"

He raised his voice. "Don't bring her up in this house! You hear me? If you hate it here so much why didn't you go with her and the rest of the kids?"

I lowered my eyes and felt my chest cringe. "Because I wasn't going to leave you here alone. I...couldn't do it."

He breathed heavily and stared at the floor. We were there in silence for a few moments, until he shook his head.

"Just...go upstairs. It's late."

I obeyed and hurried upstairs. I jumped into bed and opened my backpack to get my camera. With eyes focused, I studied the images of the so-called 'Batman'.

"He was so fast."

Grabbing my laptop, I opened my blog that I never used and decided it was going to start getting interesting. I posted the pictures I found and typed like a maniac. My blog was anonymous so I wouldn't have to worry about offending anyone, which I seem to do often.

I hated my username so I knew I'd have to change it, but that wasn't a priority at the moment. Pleased with my post, I closed my laptop and laid down in bed, smiling.

The next day, I had to head down to one of the fancy courts in Gotham to pick up some files for my dad concerning Falcone's thugs. I had to pick them up from Dr. Crane. Brilliant guy. I had met him before at my college before he graduated. We both studied phobias until I lost interest and desired to study law and other things to be a cop.

Nice guy and pretty darn smart. I knocked on his door and he said I could come in. I stepped in and he gave a small gasp.

"I don't recall ordering any ginger with my lunch," he chuckled.

I smiled and shook my head. "How are things, Dr. Crane?"

He stood from his desk and held out his arms to hug me. "Jonathon is fine, Babs. I told you before. You don't have to be so formal."

"I do, actually. You went on to be a doctor. Something important. I just wanted to be a city cop," I shrugged and shook my head.

He chuckled. "I told you you would regret it. But, I meant that you're not like the other phonies that work with your dad. You're real and smarter than they are. Remember that, alright?"

"Phonies, indeed. I came to pick up some files. My dad said he had someone contact you about it."

Jonathon went to his desk and held up a folder. "Yes, yes. Right here. I told them the same thing I'm going to tell you. Falcone's thugs are not the issue here. There are bigger things going on out there, Babs."

I sighed as he handed me the folder. "No, see, that's what all the phonies say. That these criminals aren't a problem at all and we're all just blind or crazy."

"These thugs can become something much better. My asylum helps them become that."

"Your asylum gets them therapy not punishment . Sometimes there are people in this world that just want to watch it burn. Your asylum keeps them away from where they should be."

I could tell he was getting impatient. He looked around the room with a frown as he adjusted his glasses.

"Look, I get enough of things like this from people here, Babs. Don't let me have to hear it from an old friend, okay?"

With a sigh, I couldn't help but smile a bit. "Fine. But just this once, doc."

He laughed and put his hand on my shoulder. "Take care, Babs."

Suddenly, a young man entered the office. "They got him! Falcone's been arrested and he's in police custody!"

I side-smiled. "Who does Gotham have to thank?"

The young man shrugged. "Some bat character, but who cares? We got Falcons on the scene!"

He rushed out and I smiled at Crane. "I have a feeling things will be getting brighter in this town."

Jonathan grinned. "Careful, Babs. Too much hope can blind a person."

"In a town like this, hope just might be healing the blind. I have to get going. I'll see you around, alright?"

He took out a small card and handed it to me. "Give me a call sometime. I'd be happy to make an appointment."

I raised my eyebrows. "I'd have to be crazy do that."

Smiling, he replied, "It's fine. I have a whole asylum full of crazies."

He gave me a wink and I shook my head with a laugh. I left the office with the files in hand.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, sorry for not updating for so long! Hope you enjoy this chapter and more to come...  
**


	3. Chapter 3

I heard my Dad's cellphone ring and how he answered.

"Hi."

Closing my eyes, I sighed and closed my laptop. He started to raise his voice and I knew exactly who he was talking to. It was raining outside so I grabbed my umbrella and headed out with my backpack.

It was dark and raining harder than I expected. I decided to take a walk, knowing Dad would be on the phone for a while. Taking walks helped me think and empty my mind at the same time. Crazy, I know.

I walked for about an hour until I didn't even recognize where I was. Looking around, I immediately ducked my head down. It's not safe to look lost in a place like Gotham. So, I just kept walking like I knew where I was going. I stepped into an alley and sighed.

"Good job, Babs..." I groaned.

I heard noises from above me but just ignored them. Taking out my camera from my backpack, I skimmed through the pictures of the Batman. Most were blurry so I couldn't really make out his face. I'd have to see him again to get a good picture.

Almost as if on cue, a loud clank from above made me grimace. Before I could look up, a body fell in front of me. Dropping my umbrella, I screamed from shock as I realized it was on fire. It was the Batman. He rolled around on the wet ground, putting out the flames. Panicking, I shoved my camera into my bag and tried to help.

"S-Sir? Can you hear me?"

He pushed me away as he got up and ran past me. Gunshots from above made me crouch and scream as other people did the same. I hurried after the Batman as rain poured onto me.

"Hey, wait!"

I wasn't sure why he should have to wait for me, but I said it anyway. More shots filled the air until I realized I lost him.

Suddenly, a bullet screamed past me and I gasped. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist and I was lifted off the ground.

The Batman gripped me tightly until we landed on the roof of a building. He laid down and sounded like he was about to cry. He held a small device to his face and breathed heavily.

"Alfred...help me!"

His voice sounded so deep and almost monstrous. I knelt down and tried to remember some form of training that would be helpful for such a situation but I couldn't exactly tell what was wrong with him.

"Can you hear me? Can you breath?" I asked.

"Poison...poison...don't take poison!"

I grimaced. "Someone..someone poisoned you? What poison? What happened?"

"C-C..."

He was trying to speak but he couldn't. His words slurred and he was shaking too much for me to understand him. Without thinking, I held his hand and gripped it tightly.

"Just...just hang on, okay? Just stay with me," I said, trembling.

I wanted to call a hospital but that would endanger his identity and who knows what else. After several minutes, I heard footsteps from below and a voice.

"Master Bruce? Can you hear me?"

I looked behind me and rushed to the edge of the building. An old man in a suit was below us. I grimaced and glanced back at the Batman then back at the old man.

"Excuse me! Sir, I need your help! Please, the Batman is up here!" I cried down to him.

The man looked up and shielded his eyes from the falling rain. "He's up there? Dear God..."

I looked around and saw a grappling gun by the Batman. Quickly, I grabbed it and fired it at the edge of the building. Then, I placed the gun in his hand and spoke gently.

"I need you to breathe and get us down, okay? Can you do that?"

His jaw was hanging open and he seemed to be panicking even more. I've never seen someone so afraid before. He gripped the gun and eventually lowered us down.

The old man put his arm around Batman and slowly walked him to a car. I stood in the rain and watched.

The old man insisted that I go away. "I can take it from here, ma'am. There's no need to-"

"He needs a doctor. A hospital, anything!" I snapped.

The Batman's breathing increased in speed and he started to shake. Removing my sweater, I put it on him, thinking he was cold. His mumblings made me realize he was losing his mind.

"Poison...blood poison!"

My heart raced as I tried to think. The old man put a hand on my shoulder and spoke in a soft grandfather-like voice.

"Only I can help him, you must understand. Please, we are wasting time."

As the rain poured down upon us, he stared at me with the sincerest eyes. Like a father trying to protect his son. I hesitated and shook my head.

"Do what you have to do," I sighed, stepping away.

He and the Batman got into the car and drove off, but not before I read the license plate. I walked home soaken wet and called a guy from Dad's office to run the plate for me. He assured me that he would do it and promised to call me back in the morning.

I sat up in my bed the next morning and rubbed the back of my head.

"Jesus..."

Then, I remembered the night before. How the Batman had fallen at my feet and caught fire. Everything else was a blur. I couldn't really remember anything. It happened so fast.

I groaned from my headache and sighed. A cup of coffee and some quiet time would help. I sat in the kitchen with my coffee and stared at the ceiling.

The Batman wouldn't escape my mind. His frightened eyes and strange mumbles about a poison. I headed to my room to grab my laptop and put on my jeans.

As I typed, my phone buzzed and I reached into my pocket to check my Dad's text. Jonathon's card fell out and I froze. I examined it and reread the number on it.

I sighed and typed it into my phone's dialpad. After a few dials, he finally answered.

"This is Dr. Crane, how can I help you?"

"Jonathon, it's me."

"Barbara? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have some questions regarding certain...events that happened recently. I think you could help."

"Could we discuss this over dinner? I'm pretty booked this afternoon."

I paused and smiled. "When and where?"

* * *

Jonathon and I sat in the restaurant he chose as I started with the questions.

"We both studied phobias, but no one knows them better than you. Think you can help me out?"

He side-smiled. "You should know that I'm not one to brag, but I will do my best. Fire away."

"How...or maybe, what's the worst way a person could respond to fear?"

"That's a bit ambiguous. There are several ways."

I swallowed and sighed. "Right. I'll give you an example. Say, someone was poisoned and had a sort of panic attack. What might the side-effects be?"

"What kind of poison are we talking about, Babs?"

"Anything. Say "food poisoning"?"

He adjusted his glasses as I listened closely. "Well, a subject could have eaten meat that is undercooked. Undercooked meat can cause small insects to form in the brain, but it wouldn't trigger a panic attack. What kind of panic attack are you trying to figure out?"

"One that would involve symptoms such as: red eyes, fast breathing, and maybe...hallucinations, perhaps?"

He grimaced. "Hallucinations? From food poisoning?"

"Well, no, Jonathon. It was just an example. But...could a poison be strong enough to do that?"

"It would have to be a special poison. One that triggers a specific part of the brain."

I nodded and stared at my plate. Jonathon stared at me and spoke up again. "Something wrong, Babs?"

I blinked. "Huh? Oh, no. I'm okay. My dad...he just brought up something about it the other day. I was trying to figure it out all day and it boggled my mind, so I just had to talk to an expert."

Jonathon blushed and chuckled. "That's very kind of you to be so willing to help your father. I hope I gave you some sort of help."

"No, no, you really helped! Thanks a lot, Jonathon. Really, it means so much."

He nodded until his phone rang. Clearing his throat, he apologized. "Let me get this really quick. Hello?"

I lowered my eyes and tried to see if I could connect Crane's words with the Batman. It seemed to match but something wasn't making sense.

"Yes. Yes. He did, what? I'll get down there right away. Of course. Goodbye."

He hung up and rolled his eyes. I grimaced as he shook his head. "Everything okay?"

"Afraid I'm going to have to leave you, Babs. Falcone cut his wrists and he's making-"

I rolled my eyes. "The insanity plea? You don't have to go down there. You and I both know that he's only doing this in hopes that you'll put him in your asylum."

"You don't need to worry about me, alright? Just go home and get some rest, Babs. Sorry I couldn't help you more with this whole phobia business, but I think it's best if you stay away from it. It's a dangerous topic and you don't want to be part of it, trust me."

I shrugged. "I don't really think I have a choice. But, thanks for your kind advice."

His eyes weren't what they were a few minutes ago. They were angry and almost lost. He stared at me and then leaned close to speak in my ear.

"Stay. Out of it," he almost growled.

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't go, please. Don't play these games with those criminals. Please."

"I'll see you later. You have a good night, Miss Gordon."

He dropped a check on the table and hurried out. Sighing, I rubbed my temples. I had so many questions and not a lot of time. Suddenly, my phone buzzed and I answered.

"Yes?"

Frustrated, I wasn't really in the mood for conversation. I took a sip from my water and drank it angrily.

"Babs, sorry it took me so long, but I have that plate you wanted. The car was Bruce Wayne's."

I coughed and spit out a bit of the water from my mouth. Several people stared and a waitress asked if I was okay.

I cleared my throat. "Fine, fine."

Grabbing my coat, I hurried out of the restaurant and towards my car. Jumping in, I drove to Wayne Manor with a strange feeling in my stomach.

It was a bit of a drive, but I made it and was surprised to see so many people there. Some party must've been going on. I saw tables being brought in and lots of food.

Hurrying up the stairs, I made it to the front door and bumped into someone.

"Sorry! I was just-"

My heart stooped. It was the old man from last night. His eyes widened for a moment until he calmed down.

"Ah, yes, can I help you?"

I wasn't even sure what to say. "I...I was just wanting to...what you did last night, it was...thank you."

He stared at me, blankly. "You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He passed by me and I held my breath. "He's Bruce Wayne, isn't he?"

The old man turned to face me and sighed. "I think you should leave, ma'am. Master Wayne would be happy to-"

I grimaced. "Master? You're...his butler, aren't you? And, I'll wager you've had this job for some time. You knew his parents and even raised him."

He paused as if he had some sort of flashback. "Yes. I watched him grow up. This is all very private, ma'am, so I'd appreciate it-"

"My name is Barbara Gordon, sir. Jim Gordon is my father and I have special connections with the police so you have two choices: either they question you or I do. They don't know anything about Bruce. Just me. I want to help him. There's something going on in this town. I can feel it. Please."

He stared at me. Nothing more. A smile stretched across his face. "Well, I suppose my choice is clear, then. Today is Master Wayne's birthday, so he will be quite occupied for the rest of the evening."

I nodded. "Right. Look, I'm sorry about bombarding you with all this. I never got your name."

"Oh, I'm no one of great importance, really-"

"You're the only butler I've seen around here. He trusts you. I can see why."

"Well, it is getting rather dark out. I bid you a good evening, Miss Gordon."

"Barbara is fine."

We stared at each other for a moment until he gave a small bowl. "Evening, Miss Barbara."

I couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Thanks, I guess, sir."

"Alfred."

Before I could ask another question, he walked away. I walked back to my car as guests were arriving. Driving into the Narrows, I had to find Crane. I needed more help and I wasn't going to let him put Falcone into his asylum.

I hurried in and spotted him leaving the building. With a deep breath, I called out his name. He turned and grimaced.

"Well, this is a surprise," he chuckled, nervously.

"What happened? You're leaving."

"Oh, it was quite shocking. He just started screaming his head off and shaking. Horrible sight, Babs. You're lucky you weren't there."

"He freaked out? That's terrible. So, he wasn't faking it?"

"Nope, not that one. He's definitely going to need more of my help. I know a crazy nutcase when I see one, Babs. You doubted me," he said in mocking pain.

I laughed. "So...how did you notice? What told you be was going berserk?"

Keep it casual, Babs. Keep it casual.

"Screaming, you know. Then, he started muttering things. Shaking like a maniac, that he is."

"I guess you were right. Sorry if I scolded you too much earlier."

He stopped and gave me a smile. "It's okay. You're just used to the "cop mentality". You should just study and join me in my research."

"Sounds tempting, but I'm sticking with the studying of criminals and psychos. I should get going, Jonathan. Lots of work to get done."

"Right. See you around, Babs."

I walked out of the building and hesitated as I slipped my key in my car door. Shaking my head, I headed back towards the building. I found Falcone's room easily since I could hear his screams from down the hall.

I peaked through the small window on the door and saw him in restraints, shaking and mumbling.

He looked similar to the Batman the night before. I observed and made mental notes as I watched him.

"Want a closer look?"

I gave a small scream as Jonathan appeared next to me. He laughed and I shook my head, still in shock.

"That was not funny! Jesus, you nearly gave me a heart attack," I gasped.

He adjusted his glasses as he kept laughing. "I figured you'd be here, so I thought I'd give you a surprise."

I scoffed, "Well, congratulations. I was just watching him. I've seen symptoms like this before. Sorry, I feel like I'm intruding."

He put his arm around me and shook his head. "No, Babs. It's okay. I'll walk you out, come on. This isn't a place for a gal like you."

We walked out and he sighed. "Look, Babs, I can't stop you if you want to have a nice badge and be the best cop in the world. But, if you wanna see what kind of work I'm doing, come by later. Say, an hour from now, I'll show you what I'm working on."

I thought about it and thought it would be interesting and might help with how and why the Batman ended up at my feet the other night.

"I might drop by. Sounds interesting."

He smiled. "Great. You won't be disappointed. I look forward to it."

Before I could reply, he kissed my cheek and dismissed himself. I watched him go and felt my cheeks turning red.

Little did I know, that someone was watching in the shadows.


	4. Chapter 4

I decided to stand by the building as I took out my phone. It was getting late and I hadn't seen Dad or heard from him in a while. As I took it out, I saw a reflection on the screen.

Slowly, I raised my head and suddenly a dark figure landed in front of me on his feet. The Batman. I screamed from the shock and dropped my phone. He leaned into my face and I shrunk down a bit. I was scared out of my mind.

"What's Crane working on? Tell me!"

He was shouting at me and I was panicking. "C-Crane? I..I don't know. He said he-"

"What is he working on? What's in his drugs?"

I held my hands up and tried not to sound shaky. "Look, I-I don't know what's going on, okay? I swear I just followed him here to make sure he didn't get hurt."

Suddenly, I remembered who I was talking to. This was just Bruce Wayne in a huge bat costume. I looked into his dark eyes as he glared at me. With a deep breath, I spoke up.

"Bruce Wayne. I know it's you. Please, I want to help. Jonathan is my friend."

He just stared. I had to say, he looked pretty fit. His dark cape, draped over his shoulder and made him look really cool.

"Alfred told me about you," he replied.

I blinked. "Oh. Right, yeah."

He still looked upset at me. Maybe it was just the mask. "You know Crane?"

I nodded. I was still pretty damm terrified.

"He's dangerous. You need to leave here now, understand?"

I grimaced. "Dangerous? But, what-"

He put his hand on my shoulder and roughly dragged my forward. I pushed his hand away and scoffed.

"Hey, wait. If he's in trouble, I want to-"

"You can't help him. He's-"

"No! I have to see him again. I know him. You have to trust me, please."

I wanted to slap myself. I felt like I was begging.

"You need to leave before you get hurt."

I folded my arms. "I can talk to him. I'm meeting him here tonight."

"He's poisoning people with a fear-inducinf toxin, Miss Gordon. He's not exactly one for talking."

My heart stopped. "What? A toxin?"

"Falcone and many others have been gassed and it causes them to have hallucinations and panic. The night you found me, I had been gassed."

His eyes popped into my mind. The mumblings, the heavy breathing.

"But...why would he do-"

"I don't know. But I've come here to find out."

"Wait, maybe I can help. I said I was-"

He grabbed my arm and spoke sternly. "I want you to go. It's not safe. I can't afford to risk your safety."

I stared into his eyes. "You need my help. He trusts me and wouldn't hurt me. I can get whatever information you need tonight. Just let me talk to him."

It took him a few seconds to reply, so I knew he was considering the idea. "I won't at you risk your life to do this."

I side-smiled. "I'm going to be a cop one day, Wayne. I'll be risking my life every day to help people. Tonight is no different."

He didn't seem convinced. I turned and walked away from him. When I looked back, he was gone. I hurried back inside the building to find Flacone's room. He was shaking and mumbling.

"Scarecrow..."

That's all he said. How could Jonathan do this? What if Wayne was wrong? Would I really spy on my friend because some billionaire in a cape told me he's a criminal mastermind?

A doctor walked past me and stopped. "Shame that is. He was going to be tried in court tomorrow, and now he can't make it because he's in here. I was looking forward to seeing him get the death penalty. One of his thugs mugged my husband last week. Nearly killed him."

I looked at her in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I'm sure your husband will get this justice he deserves."

She shook her head as she walked away. "I can only hope."

Falcone was going to be tried. But, now he's a mental case. Convenient. I narrowed my eyes at that. Before I could think another thought, Jonathan was walling in my direction. He smiled and put his hand on my back.

"Still watching him, huh? Hope you haven't been waiting long."

I smiled back. "No, it's okay. I was just wondering..."

"What is it?"

"Isn't it a bit...odd for a man with no mental illness, to speak of, to suddenly have a mental breakdown right before he's about to be tried?"

He was silent for a moment as he watched Falcone through the glass. "Well, perhaps, he had a lot to hide and his brain couldn't hack it."

Falcone continued mumbling. "Scarecrow...scarecrow..."

I grimaced and looked at Jonathan. "What's 'scarecrow'?"

"Patients can sometimes have memories of past phobias during a panic attack. In Mr. Falcone's case...he has a phobia of scarecrows."

"That's a bit...interesting. Of all things to be afraid of...spiders, the dark, dying..." I shrugged.

"Phobias are interesting within themselves."

He was smiling for some reason. He just wouldn't stop. "I want to know what drugs you out in him. Just to...take a look. My...dad has been seeing people with similar cases. Maybe something is spreading right under our noses?"

I tried to sound causual, but he looked at me like I had never seen him look at me before. Suspiciously. Cold.

A smile spread across his face. "I think it's time for you to see my work."

Well, that was easy.

He put his hand on my shoulder and started to lead me towards an elevator. I felt a weird feeling with his hand on my shoulder. I just went along, though. The elevator closed and down we went. They opened again and he led the way.

"Just follow me," he said.

##########

 **A/N: If it seems rushed, I apologize. I won't be getting my hands on a computer for a while so I wanted to get this story out there. I'll be updating faithfully, but things can get complicated. Anyway, hope you like it. GO BATMAN!**


	5. Chapter 5

We entered what looked like the basement and I saw dozens of people wearing anti-toxic masks and coats. They all looked at is as we entered. I stopped walking when I saw one man dumping a liquid into a rubbing pipe of water.

"This is where I make the medicine. This is what I've been working on," Jonathan said.

My eyes looked into his. "Jon...what are you..."

"I wanted you part of this, Babs. But, you've been asking too many questions and after I saw you save the Batman that night, I knew-"

I didn't even hear him finish because I had ran out. My heart was pounding against my chest as I slammed the elevator button several times. It opened and I hurried inside, pressing all the buttons. The elevator doors were about to shut but then they opened again when an arm extended in-between them.

With a shriek, I heard a pop and saw gas filling the elevator. Holding my breath, I shoved my way through and ran into a man wearing an old woven mask.

"Don't resist it, Babs..." he growled.

 _Jonathan...?!_

Raising my hand, I slapped him across the face and hurried past him. His hand shot out and grabbed my arm, twisting it. I groaned aloud and returned with a punch in his jaw. He stumbled back, allowing me time to get away. A high pitching sound made me stop as I covered my ears and screamed. The gas filled my nostrils and I cursed myself.

I was lifted off my feet and carried away. My head began to ache like something was about to pop out of it. Everything was spinning and I felt my mouth hang open. I was settled down when I heard the growling voice.

"Who are you working for? The Batman?"

I couldn't answer. I replied with a moan and felt my head spin once more.

A crash was heard and the lights went out. I felt a pain in my head and held onto it with both hands.

 _Come on, Babs. Fight back. Fight back, you idiot!_

I sat up, trying to regain focus of what was going on. Jonathan had removed his mask and looked around with his thugs, raising their guns. Something was going on. I heard different voices speaking at once.

"The things they say...are they true?"

"I heard he can fly..."

"I heard he can split a guy's skull in two with one..."

"Walks through walls..."

Suddenly, my head couldn't take it and I had to lie down. Grunting and screams filled the air. My dad suddenly popped into my head, along with mom. They slapped each other and yelled. Then, everything went dark and I was alone. Monsters and demons were chasing me. It was dark again.

Then, I felt someone sit me up. Suddenly, I was flying through the air.

"Barbara? Barbara, can you hear me?"

I blinked. "..Ruce..."

The gas was starting to wear off for a moment. The Batman was glaring down at me and panting for breath. His hand gripped mine and I was brought back to that night. It was just like this, only the tables were turned.

"Can you hear me?"

I managed a very weak 'yes'.

Men were shouting outside and sirens were heard. He turned his head and I saw how dark his profile looked. Like a knight staring outside of a high tower's window.

"Breathe and relax," he said, turning away.

He left me lying there for a moment, until he returned with my father. Dad gasped and pressed his palm against my forehead.

"Jesus, Barbara, no! We need to get help! A hospital!"

Batman looked down at me and then back at Dad. "They can't help her. I can."

"Oh, God..."

More shouting went on outside of the building. Policemen. Dad held my face in his hands and he looked like he was about to cry. I would've said something comforting, but I had a massive headache and felt really sick.

 _Don't puke. Not now._

"You got Crane? Was he working for Falcone?" Dad asked.

"No, but he mentioned someone. Someone much worse," The Batman replied.

 _Someone worse than Flacone? That I gotta see._

I don't remember what else they said, but I do remember a high pitched noise. Not a powerful one like before. It was quiet. Dad looked up at the ceiling as he heard a sound.

"What is that?"

Batman stood up as he lifted me off the ground. "Back-up."

Before I could even breathe a word, bats filled the entire building. Batman handed me to Dad and he carried me downstairs. He was breathing loudly and sounded scared. Once we were outside, the Batman joined us.

"I'll get my car," Dad panted.

"I brought mine."

He grimaced. "Yours?"

Suddenly, I was put into this big tank and Batman drove off, leaving Dad behind. I blinked several times as I began to regain focus and control of my mind. Sitting up, I realized how fast we were going.

"Jesus!" I cried.

"Just calm down!"

I turned to look at him when he yelled. He was right. When I cried out like that, my head began to hurt again. My eyes shut and I felt the pain searing through my brain. Everything just started spinning again and again. It felt like we drove for hours. Finally, I closed my eyes and felt myself get lighter.

Everything felt peaceful. Then, someone yelled my name. Bruce? Was it Bruce? Why did he sound so scared? I was okay now. Happy and calm.

My eyes fluttered open and I was in a cave. Quickly, I sat up. Looking around, I heard his voice again.

"How are you feeling?"

He stood with his cape draped over his shoulder. My eyes narrowed.

"Where...where are we? Why am I here?"

"Your mind would now be lost if I hadn't brought you."

I rubbed my forehead. "Crane...Jonathan...He's got-"

"Gordon has Crane."

I grimaced. "Right. My dad's your friend."

"I don't have the liberty of making friends. You should rest."

"Wait, wait, you need my help."

"You've helped enough. Take this. You'll wake up at home. When you do, give these to Gordon."

He handed me two small vile. I took them and grimaced. "What are they?"

"The antidote for Crane's poison. Give one to Gordon for himself and one for mass production."

Turning away, he removed his mask. Bruce Wayne ran a hand through his hair and sighed. I climbed off the table I was sitting on, and approached him.

"You saved me."

He glanced at me. "You saved me first."

"Let me help you. Please."

"You want to help me?"

I nodded.

"Go home. Give the antidote to your father and stay hidden."

I lowered my eyes and sighed. "I just can't win, can I?"

"Go. Alfred will show you out. Just follow me."

Grasping the viles, I turned and obeyed. When I reached the elevator, he joined me, wearing a tux. I raised my eyebrows.

He noticed my surprise. "A suit under a suit."

I nodded. "Right."

We headed up to the mansion as Alfred was standing, watching TV. He had a frown on his face as Bruce tied his bow-tie on.

"When you told me your grand plan for saving Gotham, the only thing that stopped me from calling em the men in white coats was when you said it wasn't about thrill-seeking," Alfred said.

"It's not," Bruce muttered.

"What would you call that?"

Alfred pointed at the TV screen and my eyes widened. The tank was on the news. It drove across rooftops, causing sever damage. I glanced at Bruce and he shrugged, still putting his tie on.

"Damn good television," he finally replied.

"It's a miracle no one was killed!" Alfred scolded.

"I didn't have time to observe the rules of the road, Alfred."

He sounded annoyed. Grabbing his jacket, he shrugged it on.

"You're getting lost inside this monster of yours."

 _Ouch, Alfred._

"I'm using this monster to help other people, just like my father did."

Alfred stepped beside Bruce as he helped him put his jacket on. "For Thomas Wayne, helping others wasn't about proving anything to others,..."

I noticed a photo of Bruce's parent on a desk. Holding it in my hand, I noticed Martha Wayne's pearl necklace.

"...including himself."

"It was _Barbara_ , Alfred," Bruce snapped under his breath.

I turned to glance at them when I heard that. Bruce looked down for a moment and then back at Alfred.

"She was dying. I need you to take her home."

Alfred glanced at me and I looked back at the photo. "We both care for Barbara, sir. but, what you're doing has to be beyond that. It can't be personal or you're just a vigilante."

Bruce ignored him. "Is Fox still here?"

"Yes, sir."

Bruce motioned for me to go with Alfred as he headed out of the room. "We need to send these people away."

Alfred raised his chin. "Those are Bruce Wayne's guests. You have a _name_ to maintain."

"I don't _care_ about my name," Bruce snapped.

I glanced at Alfred as he paused. "It's not just your name, sir. It's your father's name."

Bruce stood in silence.

"Don't destroy it."

With that, Bruce walked out of our sight. I glanced at Alfred. "You don't have to take me home, Alfred. I'll just-"

"No, no. Let's be off. We don't want to cause anymore trouble."

We headed out of the building and into the car. Alfred hopped into the driver's seat and drove off. I looked back at the mansion and sighed. After five minutes, I decided to give Bruce a call. Maybe something I saw with the pipes could help him. When I called three times, he didn't answer. I tried not to let it bother me, but it wouldn't stop nagging.

When we arrived at my apartment, I thanked Alfred. He nodded but didn't say much.

"He won't disgrace anything you've raised him to be. You'll see."

"He has nothing from me to disgrace, Miss Gordon. It's his name that he has to be cautious of. His entire being."

"I think he understands that." 

When he drove off, I called my dad. After the second call, he finally answered. "Barbara? Jesus, are you okay? What happened?"

"Dad, where are you? Our friend gave me something for you."

##########


	6. Chapter 6

I don't know what came over me after I hung up. In a flash, my mind told me that Bruce was going to need help, and I couldn't risk running around the Narrows. It wouldn't just risk my own safety, but Dad's as well. Not only that, but he'd be worried about me and fear that I'd get hurt, and I can't have that on my back.

I wanted to help, but I couldn't do that as myself. Glancing over at my hamper, I spotted my black hoodie. I climbed off my bed and grabbed it. As it lay in my hands, I sighed.

"What is going on with me?"

Next thing I knew, I had jumped into my closet and grabbed a pair of black pants and these black Vans. Black. It had to be black. I didn't mind black, but of all the colors.

I flicked my hood onto my head and stared at myself in the mirror. I needed to cover my face somehow. Snapping my fingers, I remembered this plastic mask that went over the eyes that my brother had. I hurried to the storage room where we kept junk and my siblings old toys, that they either didn't want or left behind, and found my brother's box.

I dug and found the mask. At first, I was afraid it wouldn't fit me. But, it had a stretchy band that fit my head so I put it on. I threw the hood back on my head and smiled at myself.

"Here we go."

I had take two years of karate when I was in high school. I had taken gymnastics from age 8-18. Ten years of gymnastics would be helpful. Two years of karate? Better than nothing.

Dressed and ready, I grabbed my camera from my desk and smiled. "Won't hurt to get some photos for my blog."

With that, I hurried out of the house to find my dad in the Narrows. The moon was full and my night was about to get ugly. I drove to the Narrows and parked a few feet away from the bridge.

There were people running across the bridge in panic. I hurried across and his in an alley in the Narrows. My heart was beating fast and my breathing was heavy.

"Jesus, Bruce, how do you do it?"

I had to find my dad. But, how was I going to give him the antidote without him recognizing me? I had already told him I was coming.

My hair wasn't showing. I had tied it in a ponytail. Finally, I spotted him talking with a few cops. I had to get him alone. Almost as if he heard me, he walked off and stood close to the alley, where I was.

Clearing my throat, I remembered a deep voice I had to do for my drama class in my junior year. "Gordon."

Dad turned his head. I called him again.

"I was told to deliver something. Friend of yours."

That got Dad's attention. He walked into the alley, taking out his gun. I approached him, holding my breath. I handed him the vial and he scanned me.

"Who the hell are you? Where's Barbara?"

"Our mutual friend took her home. She's safe. He felt it was best for me to bring this to you."

He hesitated. "Who are you?"

I paused. What would Bruce say?

"I do his dirty work. We want to help."

Taking the antidote, he seemed satisfied. He adjusted his glasses and nodded towards my outfit.

"He gets all the cool stuff?"

I shrugged. "Still working on getting my own skintight outfit. Not sure if it'll work for me. He doesn't trust me with the gadgets yet."

"Yet?"

"I tend to do things my own way. Listening to orders isn't my best trait."

Dad examined the vial. "What exactly is this for?"

"It counters Crane's poison. Take one for yourself and make more of the rest."

Dad nodded until suddenly an explosion was heard. Puffs of gas filled the air and people panicked and screamed. Quickly, Dad injected his leg and groaned from the sting.

Suddenly, hundreds of people ran passed us and swallowed us up. I tried to push through but Dad had disappeared in the ocean of people.

I felt a jab in my side and someone shoved me down. I broke free and hurried against a wall when I saw several men in prison clothes run past me. I turned my head and saw a little boy all alone. Blonde and small. Maybe ten years old or nine.

He approached a group of officers and tapped one on his back. The officer casually turned and shoved the kid back a bit. I narrowed my eyes and walked over.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snapped.

The officer pointed a warning finger at me as a man approached us. He had dark eyes and sand colored hair. His eyes glared and looked like a guy with power. I pulled the boy close to me and shielded him.

"Let the world know the meaning of one word. And that word is...panic."

With the push of a button on this giant device, more puffs filled the air. The boy screamed and I held him tighter.

"Don't breathe it in!" I cried.

He hurried away and I followed. The sand-haired man followed as he put a mask on to keep from smelling the gas. The boy panted aloud as he stared at us. I held him behind me and stepped back.

Don't chicken out now. You got this. You can do-

It felt like a bus hit me. My head began to spin as I stumbled back. He grabbed my arm and landed punch after punch into my stomach. I wrapped my hand behind his neck and lunged my forehead into his.

He took it in like a life in a videogame and kept going. I could hear the boy in the background. Gasping every time I was punched and almost crying.

I managed to kick hthe man in the you-know-what and he stumbled back. I felt my phone buzz and I reached into my pocket and pulled it out.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Before I could even see who had called, the man slapped it out of my hand and backhanded me in the face. The sting was sharp and the way down was rough.

I fell onto my side and felt extremely dizzy. My hands were scraped and my legs were exhausted.

"Barbara? Can you hear me?"

Bruce? Was it really him or was I dead?

My mouth hung open. "Bruce..."

"Where are you? Barbara!"

My phone was tossed by my face as I slowly tried to get up.

"You must be very brave to fight for him. Love can blind people."

I blinked as I sat up. "The only blind one is you."

His accent wasn't American. Sounded British. Creep. He slapped me again before he turned and walked away.

"No one is going to get in our way of this city's destruction."


	7. Chapter 7

I wiped my bleeding lip and slowly got back up to my feet. The man's goons looked at me in shock and he noticed.

"You should stay down. It might help you live a little longer," he sighed.

Come on, you can do this.

I turned to glance at the little boy's frightened eyes. Coming from the smog was a group of prisoners. They had old scars, tattoos, and creepy smiles on their faces. With what little strength I had left, I got up and grabbed the boy. On the ground was a cop, unconscious.

I took his gun and aimed it at the first prisoner in the front. He had a knife in his hand and murder in his eyes.

"Don't look," I whispered to the boy.

"Batman will come. He'll come," he whispered back.

Batman won't always be there, kid.

Suddenly, we were wrapped in a black cape and lifted off the ground. The boy screamed and held onto me. We were brought to a rooftop and greeted with a scowling dark knight.

"Perfect timing," I breathed.

He looked half annoyed and half pissed off. "What the hell are you-"

"Don't thank me," I broke in.

He frowned. "Get out of here. Now."

"I'm not leaving you or my father here. You need me. Admit it."

His face told me otherwise. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "I'm staying here. Let me help."

Staring at me for a moment, he shook his head. "Stay on the ground and keep the chaos down. People are running scared. Keep things from getting bloody."

I nodded. "Right. Okay. How much of this stuff has hit the rest of Gotham?"

"It hasn't. Not yet. They'll be using the train to do that. Wayne Tower leads right above the main sewer line. If they run that train into the tower, it'll-"

"It'll hit the whole city," I realized.

He handed me a small phone-looking device and placed it in my hand. "If you need something, use this to call me."

He passed by me with a grunt. I turned and hurried after him. "Wait!"

He stopped.

"You could die. I just...how can I say thank you?"

His dark eyes glanced me over and he pressed his lips on my cheek for what felt like an eternity. With that, he tool out a gun and fired it at the passing train. He flew into the air and I sighed through my nose.

The little boy ran to me and begged me not to leave him. "Please...please!"

"Everything will be okay. Just listen to me, alright?"

He wiped his tears and nodded. I couldn't bring him with me. He'd slow me down. I gave him the device Batman gave me and smiled.

"Can you take care of this for me? I have to go, but I need someone to take this. Think you can do that?"

He though about it, and nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Tyler.

"Well, Tyler, stay here. I'll be right back. You understand me?"

With a sniff, he nodded. I headed towards the edge of the roof and used the fire escape to climb down. I hurried through the streets, trying to guide people to safety, but the poison had already gotten to their heads and they were just freaking out left and right.

I found another lost kid, but her parents weren't too far from her. They took her and ran away. I just shrugged it off and turned to be greeted by a horse.

It gave a loud cry and I screamed as it stood on its hind legs. The rider let out a laugh.

"Don't fight it. There is only fear. Let it consume you," Crane growled through his mask.

I still had the gun that I took from the knocked-out cop and aimed it at him.

"Don't move, Crane!"

He chuckled. "Crane? No. Scarecrow. Crane is gone."

Suddenly, he leaped off the horse, my finger twitched on the trigger. "Freeze!"

"You wouldn't shoot me. You don't exactly look like a bad cop. Just give that gun to me."

"Get back!"

He didn't get back. He just stepped closer to me. Even with his mask on, I could see his eyes. They weren't the eyes of Jonathan. They were cold and filled with wicked thoughts.

"You're a little short for a cop. But, giving that you're wearing a mask, I'd say you were a vigilante."

I swallowed. "Just get on the ground and-"

A hiss made me fire out of panic. He had released some of his gas and I heard him howl in pain. I had grazed his arm and blood poured from the injury. He climbed his pony and rode away.

Shaking, I dropped the gun and felt my chest tighten. What had I done? I had just shot my friend.

No. He was right. He's not Jonathan Crane anymore. He's a psychotic killer and his mind is lost.

My shoulders sagged and I took deep breaths. A muffled explosion made me look towards the tower. I hurried into the street, below the tracks, and saw fire and more explosions right below the tower.

The tower itself was unharmed. I felt a huge sense of relief. As I looked up into the sky, I saw him. He flew through the air and out of my sight. I shook my head and folded my arms.

"Showoff."


	8. Chapter 8

I drove home with a lot on my mind.

Did they catch Crane? How many people had been dosed with the poison? Was Bruce badly hurt?

I entered our apartment and plopped into bed. My face was dirty and I needed a shower but I was dead tired. I kicked off my shoes and sighed. Opening my laptop, I blogged what had happened that night. It had been a chaotic night for this redhead.

My attention turned to my window when I saw a dark pair of eyes looking at me. I walked over and opened it.

"I have a front door," I joked.

Batman didn't laugh. "You're not looking so hot."

I grimaced. "Huh?"

"Your face. Bruised lip, bruised cheek."

I lowered my eyes. "Oh. Yeah. I just, uh, ran into a few characters. Not a big deal."

"You're the oracle."

I blinked. "Huh? You really are a fan of changing the topic, aren't you?"

"The oracle. The blog. It's you."

"Blog? Yeah, I have a blog, but I don't call myself an 'oracle'."

"You've gotten quite a fan base. Might want to be careful. You might catch the wrong audience."

I shrugged. "Says the one dressed like a bat."

He frowned. "You did good tonight."

I shook my head. "I did good at being a punching bag. I didn't do much. Crane got away and I doubt they'll catch half the guys that escaped the prison. But.."

"But?"

"Every time something has hit Gotham, we've just dragged ourselves along. Tried to survive. But I don't think this hit will be so bad."

"How so?"

I feel like this was more of a slap from the doctor. We've been hit, but we're not just going to survive. We'll evolve. Adapt. And, move on with a new look on things. On life. And the future of this town."

He grinned a bit. "Powerful words for a young person."

"It's what brought you back."

We were silent for a moment. I spoke up again. "You believed in such words. You knew that Gotham could be revived and you came back to this dump. Something brought you back. You started a war here. People are already feeling something they haven't felt for sometime."

"And, what's that?"

"Hope. For themselves and this city."

He paused for a moment. "We can bring Gotham back. We will."

I lowered my eyes and nodded. He turned his back and walked across my fire escape. I stuck my head out of my window.

"Wait. When will I see you again?"

His cape blew along with the wind as he turned to look at me. "Just keep looking up."

I scoffed but then laughed. He leaped off and was gone. Just like that. I closed my window and gasped when my bedroom door opened. Dad came, surprised to see me.

"Honey?"

He rushed towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back.

"Thank God, you're alright."

I smiled. "I love you, Dad."

We parted and he went to bed. It had been a long night. As I lay in bed, I opened my laptop and turned on the news. Batman had made the front page. However, Bruce Wayne was trending as well. I put a hand to my mouth when I saw a photo of his mansion burned down.

"Jesus, Bruce..."

The next morning, I drove over there. There were workers cleaning up the mess, with Alfred directing them. I smiled at that. He saw me approaching and gave me a nod. I stepped over the rubble and shook his hand.

"Good to see you on your own two feet, miss," he smiled.

"I wouldn't be here if you hadn't helped. So, thank you."

He nodded and turned his gaze to Bruce, who was digging something out of the rubble. Alfred looked at me and cleared his throat. He left me alone, smiling as he walled away.

I walked over to Bruce as he held a stethoscope,burned and almost all ashes. He stared at it for some time until I cleared my throat.

He turned and we looked at each other. "I didn't know you had an interest in the medical field."

"It was my father's."

I got closer to him and looked into his eyes. He didn't say anything.

"It still boggles my mind."

He sighed. "It'll take some getting used to. Nice costume, by the way."

I frowned but laughed. "Well, I had a tight budget."

As I looked at him, I recalled the time when I first heard he was coming back.

"You know, I'll never forget my first time meeting you."

"Because it was embarrassing?"

I shook my head. "No, because it was funny. And, I enjoyed it."

I remembered how I spilled water on him. How he gasped and tried to hide his anger.

"I thought you were just another prissy playboy. And, I was partially right. Bruce Wayne. A billionaire with nothing to lose and the world at his backyard."

He took in the words with his eyes lowered and a bit of blushing.

"But, then, I found out about your mask."

This made him look at me. He shook his head and shrugged. "Batman's just a symbol."

"Maybe. But, to me, he's the real you. Your real face. The face that criminals now fear and gives cops the urge to make a difference."

I cupped the side of his face. "That's the man that Gotham needs. Their hero. The man I love."

His eyes met mine again and he swallowed.

"Maybe, one day, when the world no longer needs Batman, I'll have him all to myself."

His hand slipped into mine and he leaned forward. His lips were warm as they kissed mine. We parted and he slowly walked off.

"What will you do?"

He stopped and looked at his ashy mansion. "Rebuild it. Just the way it was."

I raised both eyebrows. "Just the way it was?"

"Too cliche?"

"No. I just thought maybe you'd like to...redecorate a bit. Maybe make it easier for the bat to enter his cave."

He side-smiled as I turned to walk away as I got into my car, I took one final glance at the mansion. With a smile, I drove off with a billionaire cosplayer in my mind.

###

A/N: THIS STORY IS NOT OVER!


	9. Chapter 9

I sat at my desk, typing away. Shockingly, I wasn't blogging. I had an essay due from my English class in school. College was actually an escape from the chasing criminals life.

It let me worry about my own problems. Dad, of course, wasn't home. He had to meet with the Batman that night. I typed away, thinking about Bruce. It had been a few months since the whole making out at his burned mansion thing.

I sighed and decided to take a break from my essay. A knock at my window made me jump. I turned and saw him there. I opened the window and climbed out onto the fire escape.

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting with my Dad?"

"I have. It was a short meeting. We talked about the clown again."

I nodded. "No word on him yet?"

"No, but rumors say he's in Gotham."

I raised my eyebrows. "He's here? How are you going to find him. This guy looks like trouble."

"You've done research?"

"Any guy that likes to play dress up is worth looking into," I shrugged with a smile.

"What have you learned?"

"Well, he's got a good name for himself. Joker. He's a bit different from you. He's a fan of smiling. Leaves paintings, billboards, posters with red smiles. This guy's trying to convey a message."

He nodded in agreement. "I need you to come by the house tonight. I might need your help. This guy sounds serious."

"Okay. I'll head out when my Dad gets home."

"Don't be late."

He walked across the fire escape as I climbed back inside through my window. I closed it and exited mt room when I heard Dad had gotten home. I hugged him and he yawned.

"You should get some sleep," I said.

"No need to tell me twice," he nodded, heading upstairs.

When I heard his bedroom door close, I hurried out. I got into my car and drove to Wayne manor. I knocked on the door and was greeted by Alfred.

"Evening, miss Gordon. Master Wayne is waiting inside," he smiled.

The mansion was halfway finished being rebuilt. I walked across the marble flooring and thanked Alfred.

"How's he doing?"

"I worry about him. Always running around in the middle of the night. Running into dangerous men. And, this joker fellow seems no different," he replied.

I nodded. "He thinks it's serious."

"Do you agree?"

"Yeah, I mean, he doesn't usually like to ask me for help. So, I figured this might be serious."

We entered the music room and Alfred played three keys on the piano. The secret door on the wall opened and Alfred led the way. The elevator took us down and we entered the cave.

Bruce had his suit on, but had taken his mask off. When we approached, he gave me a nod.

"You made it."

"Well, I wasn't going to miss another chance to see Alfred, was I?"

Alfred smiled, humorously. "I'll leave you two alone to get things sorted."

When he walked off, Bruce shook his head. "You're very funny."

I shrugged. "I try. Maybe one day you'll cheer up and laugh."

"You heard about the heist at the bank today?"

I nodded and he raised his eyebrows. "The Oracle never misses a thing, does she?"

I grimaced. "When I bank robbery involves most of the robbers dead and a school bus busting in, I think everyone would know about it, Bruce."

"The police didn't share the identities of the dead robbers. Your dad tell you anything?"

I shook my head. "No, but the Joker was involved in this. The robbers wore masks. Clown masks and wore suits or clothing similar to them."

"So, why kill your own men?"

"Dead men tell no tales. Or he just wanted the money to himself. But, this doesn't sound like a guy interested in money."

Bruce thought about it and looked at me. "You think he'll use it for something else. Maybe hire a terrorist?"

"Or more experienced thieves and killers."

Bruce shook his head. "We can't let that happen. He's got the mob involved. They're our new target."

"And, the Joker?"

"He can wait."

I sighed and nodded. "Figures."

"Your father told me about the new DA. Seems to trust him."

"Harvey, you mean?"

Bruce paused. "Dent. Harvey Dent, yes. Told me he's a bit stubborn."

I shrugged. "Never met him, but I'm supposed to. Tonight."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

He turned his back to me as he removed his belt and placed it on the table. Several other weapons laid there.

"Wasn't really my choice. He kinda...asked my Dad for permission and he gave him the green light. Dent asked and I couldn't really say no."

Bruce shrugged. "With a face and personality like yours, why wouldn't he ask? Why wouldn't anyone ask?"

Sighing, I folded my arms. "You tell me."

He hung his head as if he was expecting me to say that. "Barbara...I said I needed time."

"Time is something you don't have, Bruce. This is the price you pay of living a double life."

Bruce closed his eyes in annoyance. "Now, you're sounding like Alfred."

"Alfred's always been the one with sense between the two of you," I shrugged.

He side-smiled. "I'll make time. I promise. There's just a lot going on."

"A town like Gotham will always have things going on. You just need to make your own time," I said, holding his hand.

He held mine tightly and his mouth formed into a smile. "I have something for you."

I raised my eyebrows. "For me? I'm flattered."

"Just watch."

He grabbed a remote and pressed a button. Suddenly, from the water, came a large glass case, holding a suit. The bat symbol sat on its breast. The suit itself was dark gray, with the gloves and boots black.

The mask was similar to Bruce's in that it covered the head and eyes.

"I thought you'd need something to replace that hoodie of yours," he said.

I gasped. "It's...it looks amazing."

"It's got an opening behind the mask, so you can let your hair down."

He stroked my hair and I smiled. "I gotta say that I'm surprised."

"Why? You want to spend more time together. I thought this was a step towards that. We can move up from here."

Shaking my head, I pulled him into a hug and rested my head on his chest. I traced the bat symbol on his chest with my finger. What a future.


	10. Chapter 10

Bruce had been distant the last few months. I knew it was because he was busy and he had a new job to do. But a phone call wouldn't hurt once in a while. Dad didn't know about us.

He was still under the impression that I disliked him. At this point it wasn't completely untrue. Harvey was everywhere. TV, newspaper, social media. Gotham's white knight.

I knew he was trying to help and was very good at what he did. I just wasn't sure he had his eyes on me. Of all the women in the world.

I just shrugged it off and went to meet him at the fancy restaurant he reserved for us. He wore a suit and I wore a simple red gown my father gave me for my birthday last month. Funny. Bruce didn't send me anything or at least tell me happy birthday.

Anyway, Harvey smiled at me the whole time. As I sat down, he sighed.

"Man, took me three weeks just to get us a reservation."

I sipped my glass of water. "Really?"

Poor guy. Such struggles. Moron.

"So, Barbara, I understand you're very close with your father."

I shrugged. "Yeah."

"I was close with mine. Before he died, he gave me this," he said, taking out a silver coin.

"That's quite an inheritance," I said, dully.

"Oh, no. That, he sent in a check. This, my dear, is his lucky coin. I take chance into my own hands."

"Sounds exciting."

He rested his hand on mine and I felt my skin cringe. "I'm trying to change your impression of me."

"Impression?"

"You think I'm some high class, stuck-up, little girl's blouse with money to burn. Am I close?"

"I wouldn't say little girl's blouse," I chuckled.

He laughed. "You and your father are exactly the kind of people that Gotham needs. But, I'm not here to talk about that."

Well, that wasn't what I expected.

"I'm here with you because you've got a spark that I've never seen. You're funny and just so opinionated. I like that about you, Babs."

I could feel my cheeks turning red. "Thanks, I guess."

"I'd like to get to know you a bit more. If that's alright with you?"

I swallowed. "Well, uh,...I don't think it would hurt anyone-"

"Barbara!"

Oh, God, you've gotta be kidding me.

I faked a big smile. "Bruce!"

He walked up to our table with a bkinde chick with him. "Fancy seeing you here."

His hand took mine and he shook it.

"Yeah, real fancy," I said, squeezing his hand really hard.

Harvey looked at Bruce, then at me. "Well, well."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, Harvey this is Bruce."

"Bruce Wayne. Barbara's told me all about you."

Bruce smiled. "Well, I certainly hope not."

I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat. His date looked at me with a smile.

"Barbara, this is Natasha. Natasha, Barbara," Bruce said.

My smile got more and more fake. "Natasha...aren't you part of the-"

"Russian ballet from Moscow," Bruce finished with a nod.

Natasha nodded. "Yes!"

Bruce's hand went to her waist and my chest tightened. He wanted to play dirty? I could play dirty.

"Harvey said he'd like to take me next week," I smiled at him.

Harvey nodded and smiled back. Bruce looked at me and at our table.

"Why don't we bring together some tables?"

Harvey looked at me for a response and said, "Uh, I don't know. I don't think they'd let us."

Bruce shook his head. "Oh, it's not a problem. I own the place."

I smiled wide. "Of course you do."

A waiter brought more chairs and we all sat together. Natasha drank some wine and smiled at me the whole time.

"Who would want to raise their children in a town like this?" She asked.

"Well, I grew up here, and I turned out okay," Bruce grinned as he looked at me.

I choked on my water and Harvey patted my back. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just got a really bad taste in my mouth all of a sudden," I said, throwing Bruce a glare.

Natasha just kept running her mouth. "I'm talking about the kind of city that idolizes a masked vigilante."

Harvey shook his head. "Gotham city is proud of an ordinary citizen standing up for what's right."

"Gotham needs a man like you, an elected official. Not a man who thinks he is above the law," Natasha argued.

"Exactly," Bruce said, "Who appointed the Batman?"

"We did. The ones who stood by and let scum take control of our city," Harvey replied.

"But, this is a democracy, Harvey," Natasha said.

"When their enemies were at the gate, the Romans appointed one man to watch over the city. It wasn't considered an honor, it was a public service."

I glanced at Bruce and noticed how he kept a solid eye on Harvey.

"Look, you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I mean, whoever the Batman is, he doesn't want to do this the rest of his life. How could he?"

Bruce lowered his eyes at that and kept listening.

"Batman is looking for someone to take up his mantel."

"Someone like you, Mr. Dent?" Natasha asked.

Harvey shrugged. "Maybe. If I'm up to it."

"What if Harvey Dent is the caped crusader?"

She picked up her menu and covered the top half of Harvey's face. He smiled and Bruce did too.

"If I were sneaking out every night, I'm sure someone would've noticed," Harvey said, carefully holding my hand.

Bruce noticed and sighed. "Well, you've sold me, Mr. Dent. I'm going to throw you a fundraiser."

Harvey shook his head. "No, thanks. I'm not up for reelection for another three years."

"No, you don't understand. Help from me and my money, you won't need another cent. Ever."

I showed up at Bruce's penthouse a few days later. Alfred was there and we sat down in the living room with tea and just talked.

"I never saw such a bad side of him. It's like I didn't even know who I was talking to," I sighed.

Alfred nodded. "The price of living a double life. You start acting like it and soon, you don't know where the bloody hell you are."

"I thought...when he showed me my suit...things would get better. But, then, he shows up and just embarasses me in front of Harvey. I mean, how did he even know I was there?"

Alfred lowered his eyes and I scoffed. "I think you already know the answer."

"Does he do that often? Stalk me?"

"It's not you he watches, it's Dent."

"Did he tell you that, Alfred? I'm at perfect liberty to spend time with whoever I want."

"But, it's not to make you happy. It's to make Master Wayne turn his attention to you."

I lowered my eyes and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm losing him, Alfred. Every time we get close, he pulls away. Harvey is making this harder, it's not his fault. I feel...wanted when I'm around him."

He nodded. "I understand. But, maybe, you need to tell Master Wayne. He has several things going on at the moment. He's in Hong Kong as we speak."

"And, he didn't even tell me. What if something happens when he's gone? I won't know. I wouldn't be there."

"You need to tell him, Miss Gordon. He needs to know."

With a sigh, I nodded. "Yeah. I should get going. Thanks for the tea."

"Anytime. Nice to have a chat since Master Wayne is always busy with his schedule. It'll be nice when the mansion is rebuilt. He might feel more at home."

I hugged him and went on my way. He was right. Bruce and I needed to have a serious talk.

After a few days, lots happened. Some chaos went down in Hong Kong with the Batman, and Bruce was back home. I hurried to his penthouse as soon as I heard.

Alfred smiled and wished me luck when he answered the door.

"He's had a rough night. Take it easy on him."

I smirked. "I'll certainly try for you."

Bruce came downstairs putting a bowtie on. He saw me and quickly came down, surprised.

"Barbara," he said as he shook my hand.

"I need to talk to you, Bruce." Lots of things are.. "

I glanced at the TV behind him when I saw a strange headline.

BATMAN DEAD?

"Oh my God..."

Bruce followed my gaze and turned the volume up on the TV. A man in a Batman suit had been killed. Hanged. The news revealed footage of him before he died.

He was in a room, tied to a chair, with a bruised face. The camera shook as the person holding it, laughed.

"Say your name."

"Brian."

"Are you the Batman?"

"No...no..." the man said

The cameraman took off Brian's mask, roughly. "Then, why do you dress up like him?"

Bruce and Alfred watched in horror. I put a hand to my mouth, holding back a gasp. Then, the Joker revealed himself as he pointed the camera to his face.

"The Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in. Oh, and every day he doesn't, someone will die. Starting tonight. I'm a man of my word."

Bruce turned the TV off. I glanced at him and shook my head. "Still holding the party? You need to lay low."

"Everything will be fine. You just be watchful. You're my eyes and ears out there, understand?"

He walked past me and Alfred remained behind. "He'll come around."

I shrugged. "Maybe. I'll see you tonight, Alfred. Let's hope he doesn't embarrass me too much."


	11. Chapter 11

I tried the suit Bruce gave me, and it fit pretty well. I stared at the bat symbol and sighed through my nose.

"Only one way to be sure this really works. Time to test it out," I shrugged.

Examining the belt, I took a look at all the weapons and grappling gun on my left side. I opened my window and climbed onto the fire escape. With a small run, I jumped into the air and took out the gun.

With one shot, it gripped the edge of a building and latched on. With a sharp tug, I soared through the air and let out small gasp and scream. I held it on tightly until I landed into a small buildings rooftop.

Gasping for breath, I put a hand to my chest. "Well...that wasn't so bad."

It was already getting pretty dark. I looked at the rest of the supplies in my belt and found batarangs, smoke pellets, a small first aid kit, and a weird knife.

I practiced throwing the batarangs and got pretty good. Suddenly, I heard a scream from below in an alley. I looked down and saw a young woman being pushed against a wall by a man with a backwards cap on his head.

"Oh, you picked the wrong night, pal," I scoffed.

I hopped onto a fire escape, a but loudly. Stealth wasn't really my thing. The two looked up and the woman gasped. With a flip, I landed on the ground with a gun in my face.

"A bat chick? That's new," the man spat.

I smacked the gun away. "Not as new as your broken jaw."

He grimaced and I raised my leg high to kick him in the face. I heard a crack and a loud cry of pain. The man stumbled back and ran off. The woman gasped and smiled.

I felt my phone vibrate and suddenly remembered the party. I gasped and stepped away from the woman. Her blue eyes filled with confusion.

"I...thanks for saving-"

I ran before she could finished. She stared in confusion.

"Wait!"

I kept running. Taking out the grappling gun, I aimed and fired. I shot through the air and gasped loudly. Well, I had to admit, I hated the first shot through the air, but as I went along through the wind, I felt better.

Finally, I made it back to my apartment and changed into my black gown. I hurried downstairs and opened the front door.

Harvey smiled. "Ready to go?"

We drove to the penthouse for the big fundraiser. He wore a suit and tie. I could smell his cologne and his hair was neatly combed, as usual.

"Nervous?"

I blinked. "Me? I should be asking you. This party is for you."

He shrugged. "I was hoping you'd be nervous. It'd help me feel better."

"You'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"

When we arrived, Alfred greeted us with a tray of drinks.

"No, thanks. Have you seen Bruce?"

I walked away before he could answer. Harvey stayed behind and took a glass.

"Thank you. Alfred, right?"

Alfred nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Barbara's told me a lot about you. You've known her a while, right? You're close?"

Alfred chuckled. "Is that what she says?"

Harvey smiled. "I just wondered if there were ant psychotic ex-boyfriends I should know about."

"Oh, you have no idea," Alfred said as he walked away.

The place was filled with tables, folded naokinst, champagne, and fancy outfits. Bruce stepped onto a small platform, holding a microphone. Everyone was silent as he spoke.

"Barbara Gordon- an old friend! When Barbara told me she was dating Harvey Dent I had one thing to say..."

I cringed. When did I ever put the words "Harvey", "Dent", and "dating" in a sentence? Especially to Bruce?

"...that gut from those god-awful campaign commercials?"

The room filled with laughter and Harvey shifted, nervously. I just blanked Bruce out the rest of the time during his "speech". He seemed to have finished nicely since Harvey joined him for a toast.

Later, Bruce walked out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. While Harvey talked with a few people, I joined Bruce outside. He heard me cone out and just stared.

"Harvey may not know you well enough to know you're making fun of him. But I do."

I folded my arms as Bruce shook his head. "I meant every word."

I got closer to him and his hand held my arm. "The day you told me about, the day when Gotham will no longer need Batman. It's coming."

Shifting, I shrugged. "You can't ask me to wait for that."

"It's happening now, Babs. Harvey is that hero. He's locked up half the city's criminals, and did it without wearing a mask. Gotham needs a hero with a face."

His hand gripped my arm tightly as he got excited. I felt a smile come onto my lips, until a voice made it disappeared.

"You can throw a party, Wayne. I'll give you that. Thanks again. Mind if I borrow, Babs?"

I smiled at Harvey and glanced at Bruce. I blew a quick kiss at him and his face lit up. What a dork. Harvey took me aside and side-smiled.

"You cannot leave me alone with these people, Babs."

"The whole mob is after you and you're worried about these guys?"

"Compared to this, the mob doesn't scare me. It's nice to know people are gunning for you, though."

I grimaced but smiled. "Why?"

"It makes you think about what you aren't prepared to lose. And, who you want to spend the rest of your life with."

Oh, mother of God. I was really hoping he wouldn't. I have to admit, I'm glad my Dad wasn't there. He would've jumped so high that you'd swear he was Batman himself. But, me? Marrying Harvey Dent? Nice guy. Nice match.

"The rest of your life, huh? Well, that's a big commitment," I said.

He smiled. "Not if the mob has their way."

I frowned. "Harvey..."

"Okay, let's be serious. What's your answer?"

I lowered my eyes and felt my hands getting sweaty. Harvey was a good man, but he wasn't for me. How could I hide the whole working-with-Batman thing?

"I don't have an answer," I sighed.

He paused and gave a small nod. "I guess no answer isn't 'no'."

"I'm sorry, Harvey. I just..."

"It's someone else, isn't it?"

I shook my head. "Oh, no. No, it's not like that. I just don't feel that way about y-"

"Just tell me it's not Wayne. The guy's a complete-"

Suddenly, Bruce grabbed Harvey from behind and put him in a sleeping hold. After a few seconds, Harvey knocked out and I gasped.

"What are you doing?!" I demanded.

"They're coming for him," Bruce replied.


	12. Chapter 12

Bruce plopped Harvey in a supply closet and turned to me. "Stay hidden."

As I watched him leave the small room, I looked back at the closet. I just had to leave my suit at home. Frustrated, I paced the room. I could hear a few people scream from the main room. God, help us.

Suddenly, after a few minutes, I heard gunshots and more screaming. I felt my heart racing. What could I do?

Harvey hadn't made a sound so I assumed he was unconscious. Quickly, I hurried to the door and reached out to open it. It opened before I could touch it and gasped. My heart stopped.

His hair was a mess. His make-up was rushed and poorly done. Gun in hand, he raised both eyebrows. "Well, this is unexpected."

I swallowed. He stepped into the room as his goons rushed past the room. "All alone?"

I didn't know what to say. "Look, take my purse. Just t-take it...and go."

He raised an eyebrow."I'm not after your purse. I'm looking for a guy. You might've heard of him. Harvey Dent? He worked with your father. You know, before got fitted for a halo."

I clenched my fists but paused before speaking. "He's not here. I told him to go home. He was drunk."

He seemed to buy it, but his next move made me doubt it. "Well, that's too bad."

I shrugged. "You got a message for him? I'll try to-"

BANG!

The pain didn't come fast. Air rushed out of me and then the pain came. I slowly fell to the ground, holding my side. My hands started to feel wet and I knew I was screwed.

"Hope the message isn't delivered too late," he said, leaving with a cackle.

Every breath I took hurt my side. I wanted to scream. I tried but my voice was hoarse. After a few seconds, I heard heavy footsteps and a few grunts.

Batman rushed to me and kneeled down. He didn't say a thing. I knew I must've been dying because my eyes were wide and I honestly just wanted to let go. But, Batman wouldn't have it.

"Breathe and don't panic. Stay with me."

His hands were gentle, believe it or not. He reached into his belt and pulled out a few gauzes. It hurt when he put them on my side but I didn't care.

I stared at him. "Where's my dad?"

He didn't answer. He took out his communication device and called for Alfred. His breathing was surprisingly calm, but I still felt tension from him.

Alfred came a few minutes later and his face turned pale. "Good God."

"Help me take her to the spare bedroom," Batman ordered.

I don't really know why he called Alfred. He carried me himself and all Alfred did was watch and hold a door open. I was put on a bed and Batman turned away and left. He took a final look at me and turned to Alfred

"Take care of her," he said.

Alfred put a wet towel on my forehead and sighed. "You're actually very lucky. The bullet only grazed you."

I wanted to talk but I must've been in shock because I couldn't. I mean, I couldn't really find the words. Alfred tended to my wound in silence for a bit. Finally, I felt movement in my mouth again.

"Bruce...where..?"

"Taking care of business, I suppose."

"Harvey..?"

"He was found and rushed to the hospital. He's alright. No need to worry."

After a few hours, I fell asleep. Alfred stayed by me the whole time, reading. He shook my arm and my eyes opened.

"I'll leave you two alone, Master Wayne," I heard him say, quietly.

Bruce sat down where Alfred was sitting and gently held my hand. "Feeling better?"

"Anything is better than being dead. How are you?"

He shrugged. "Harvey's safe."

"I didn't ask about Harvey. Forget Harvey. Okay?"

His hand squeezed mine. "I'm having you pronounced dead."

My mouth went dry. "What?"

"The Joker knows Harvey cares about you. If you're dead, he can't use you to get to him."

"How can the Joker know that? He just tried to kill me."

"He grazed you. He did it on purpose. Babs, he was right in front of you. How could he miss? It was a warning to Harvey. To show that he'd do anything to force Harvey to turn himself in to him ."

I lowered my eyes. "So, I'm guessing my father will think I'm dead."

Bruce hesitated but nodded. "Yes."

"They'll want a body, Bruce. You can't just fake-"

"I have it under control. Just trust me."

"When haven't I?"

He paused. "You'll stay here until you're healed and the Joker is caught."

I looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "I figured as much. I guess Harvey won't want to marry me when he finds out I was alive."

Bruce raised both eyebrows. "He wants to marry you?"

"Well, yeah, who doesn't?"

We exchanged smiles and he stood up. "I'll leave you alone to get some rest. If you need anything, Alfred's room is right across from yours."

I shook my head. "Don't you ever give him a day off?"

"If he wanted to, I would."


	13. Chapter 13

A funeral for Commissioner Loeb. I woke up as Alfred entered the room to turn on the TV. The news was on, showing Loeb's funeral.

"Thought you'd like to watch since you can't see your father in person."

I smiled. "Thank you. How did he take the news about me?"

"Not very well. That's all I can say. But, it's going to be alright."

"And, Harvey?"

Alfred paused. "Just look at him on the screen. He looks bloody awful."

The Joker had just named the mayor his next victim and everyone was on the edge of their seat. There were bagpipes and the soldiers and officers were ready to fire pistols in Loeb's honor.

I saw my Dad and Harvey, watching the mayor as he finished his speech. I don't think anyone was listening. They were just waiting. Waiting for him to be shot at, stabbed, murdered. Harvey's eyes looked like he didn't sleep at all. He was pale and looked sick.

The pistols were fired. Then again. And again. Suddenly, Dad looked up and leaped out of his seat.

I gasped and Alfred got up from his seat. A shot was fired and Dad went down, holding the mayor. People screamed and scattered.

"Dad!"

Alfred stood, unsure of what to do. The footage blurred and the camera shook. The mayor was up on his feet, being dragged away by security. But, my father wasn't anywhere in sight.

I put both hands to my mouth and fought a sob. "Oh my God..."

Alfred turned to me and shushed me. I shook my head as the tears came. He held me close and I just cried.

"Don't let me lose him, Alfred. Don't let me...Oh, God, what have I done?'

After several minutes, Alfred brought some tea. "Here we are. Nice and warm."

I stared at my cup and felt my eyes water. "I should have been there. Not hiding. This was a mistake. I should go-"

"Master Wayne forbade me to-"

"Forbid me, Alfred!"

His eyes widened from my cry. "If you don't stay here, things will get more complicated. You'll endanger yourself and Mr. Dent. You must understand."

I understood. I didn't want to, though. I started crying like a madman again. Alfred hugged me and said to calm down.

"I didn't get to see him. I wasn't there. I didn't say goodbye."

He shushed me. "It's not your fault."

I asked him to leave me alone the rest of the day. I didn't eat or say anything. Just sat in bed with my side hurting like heck. That evening, there was a knock at my door. I looked up and saw him. I heard him step inside and close the door.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

I shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"You don't mean that."

"It's not easy for me to say," I said, loudly, " But, it's the truth."

He paused. "Harvey's down interrogating Lao. He's safe."

"The Joker will come after him. He needs to hide."

"You need to hide, Barbara."

"I'm tired of hiding. I need to continue my father's work. Your work."

"That's not your job."

"But, it's yours, isn't it? You brought this upon us! Now, I have to finish it!"

"No one said you had to," he replied, calmly.

"You don't know what I'm feeling! You don't get it!"

That pissed him off. "To hell, I don't!"

I stopped and lightly gasped. "Bruce...I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Just forget it. It's not your fault. I'm sorry."

There was a pause. "Just do me a favor, Bruce."

He looked down at me in silence.

"Promise me you'll start worrying about yourself for a change."

"Batman doesn't have limits."

"Maybe Batman doesn't. But, Bruce Wayne does. Your body does. Bruce Wayne is just as much a part of you as Batman is."

He held my hand tightly and rubbed my knuckles with his thumb.

"I'll do your favor, if you do one for me."

I listened closely. "What is it?"

"Stay with me. Trust me. I should've been there for your father-"

"My father made his own choice. Now, I'm making mine."

He gave a single nod and let go.


End file.
